Automotive alternator

Abstract

An automotive alternator comprises a voltage regulator case molded from insulating resin in which a connector portion, a circuit housing portion for housing a circuit portion of a voltage regulator and a condenser housing portion are integrally formed, in which conductors are insert-molded to form connecting terminals for electric connection to the outside and internal wiring paths, and on which a heat sink for cooling the circuit portion of the voltage regulator is disposed so as to cover an opening of the circuit housing portion, the voltage regulator case being disposed on same plane as a rectifier which intersects the axial center of the shaft at a right angle so as to surround the shaft at one end of the shaft, wherein the connector portion, the circuit housing portion and the condenser housing portion of the voltage regulator case are arranged circumferentially such that the axial direction of the connector portion, the longitudinal direction of cooling fins of the heat sink and the longitudinal direction of the condenser housing portion each point towards the axial center of the shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An automotive alternator comprising: a shaft supported in a case so as to be able to rotate freely;   a rotor disposed in said case and composed of a pair of pole cores each having a plurality of claw portions projecting from outer circumferential edge portions thereof, said pole cores being fixedly fitted over said shaft in an opposed relation to each other so that said claw portions are able to engaged with each other;   a stator disposed within said case so as to be positioned around the periphery of said rotor;   centrifugal fans secured to both axial ends of said rotor;   a rectifier for rectifying an alternating current generated in said stator to a direct current, said rectifier being mounted within said case coaxial to said shaft at one end of said shaft and on a plane which intersects the axial center of said shaft at a right angle;   a voltage regulator for regulating an output voltage of said stator; and   a voltage regulator case molded from insulating resin in which a connector portion, a circuit housing portion for housing a circuit portion of said voltage regulator and a condenser housing portion are integrally formed, wherein conductors are insert-molded to form connecting terminals for electric connection to the outside and internal wiring paths, and a heat sink for cooling said circuit portion of said voltage regulator is disposed so as to cover an opening of said circuit housing portion, said voltage regulator case being disposed on the same plane as said rectifier so as to surround said shaft at one end of said shaft,   wherein said connector portion, said circuit housing portion and said condenser housing portion of said voltage regulator case are arranged circumferentially such that the axial direction of said connector portion, the longitudinal direction of cooling fins of said heat sink and the longitudinal direction of said condenser housing portion each point towards the axial center of said shaft.   
     
     
       2. The automotive alternator according to claim 1, wherein end surfaces of both ends of said voltage regulator case in a circumferential direction are shaped symmetrically about a line P which passes through the axial center of said shaft and divides said voltage regulator case in half in the circumferential direction. 
     
     
       3. The automotive alternator according to claim 1, wherein a circumferential angle of said voltage regulator case centered on the axial center of said shaft is less than 180 degrees.